GDPR & Analytics
GDPR applies wherever personal data is processed. Cuttly's link analytics is designed to provide meaningful campaign insights while storing only anonymised, aggregated data — no personal data about individual clickers is retained.
Definition
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is the EU data protection regulation establishing rights for individuals over their personal data and obligations for organisations that process it. "Personal data" covers any information that relates to an identified or identifiable natural person — including, under certain conditions, IP addresses and device identifiers.
Cuttly is GDPR compliant. The link analytics system is designed to derive the analytics values needed for meaningful reporting — device type, OS, browser, country, referrer, timing — without storing the raw data from which those values are derived. No personally identifiable information about individual link clickers is retained.
What Cuttly's Link Analytics Collects and Stores
| Analytics value stored | Derived from | What is stored | Raw data retained? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Device type (mobile / desktop / tablet) | User-Agent header analysis | Category only — aggregate | No — UA string discarded |
| Operating system | User-Agent header analysis | Category only — aggregate | No — UA string discarded |
| Browser | User-Agent header analysis | Category only — aggregate | No — UA string discarded |
| Country | Geo-IP lookup from IP address | Country only — country-level aggregate | No — IP discarded after lookup |
| Referrer source | HTTP Referer header | Categorised source — aggregate | No — raw Referer discarded |
| Timestamp | Server time of click | Click timing data | Timing data only |
| IP address | TCP connection | Not stored — discarded after geo-IP lookup | |
| Full User-Agent string | HTTP header | Not stored — discarded after category derivation | |
| Name, email, device ID | Not captured | Not captured — not stored | |
The stored analytics data — device type category, OS category, browser category, country, referrer source category and click timing — is aggregate and anonymised. It describes populations of clicks, not individual people. No individual clicker can be identified from the stored data.
How the Data Flow Works
When a visitor clicks a Cuttly short link, the HTTP request arrives at Cuttly's server with request headers and a connecting IP address. The processing sequence:
- User-Agent header is parsed → device type, OS and browser category values are derived → raw UA string is discarded
- IP address is used for geo-IP lookup → country value is derived → IP address is discarded
- Referer header is categorised → source category value is derived → raw Referer is discarded
- Server timestamp is recorded
- Only the derived aggregate values (device type, OS, browser, country, referrer source, timing) are stored in the analytics database — no raw request data
Server-Side Tracking and Cookie Consent
Cuttly's link analytics tracking is server-side — it operates at the HTTP redirect step, before any page-level code runs on the visitor's device. No cookie is set on the visitor's device as part of this tracking.
Cookie consent requirements (under GDPR's e-Privacy provisions) apply to cookie-based tracking. Because Cuttly's redirect tracking does not set cookies, cookie consent is not required for the link analytics tracking itself in most GDPR interpretations.
Important distinction: attaching retargeting pixels (Meta Pixel, Google Ads tag) to short links does involve the pixel platform's cookies being set on visitor devices. This requires appropriate cookie consent under GDPR's e-Privacy requirements — separate from, and in addition to, the link analytics tracking.
Related Terms
FAQ
Is Cuttly link analytics GDPR compliant?
Yes. Cuttly stores only anonymised aggregate values: device type, OS, browser, country, referrer source, timing. Raw data (IP addresses, User-Agent strings) is used to derive these values and then discarded. No personally identifiable information is retained. No individual clicker can be identified from stored analytics data.
Does Cuttly store IP addresses?
No. IP addresses are used only for geo-IP lookup to derive the country of click origin. After the country value is derived, the IP address is discarded. Only the country-level aggregate value is stored.
Does Cuttly link tracking require a cookie consent banner?
Not for the link analytics tracking itself — it is server-side and sets no cookies. Cookie consent is required if retargeting pixels are attached to links, as those involve third-party cookies being set on visitor devices.
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URL Shortener
Cuttly simplifies link management by offering a user-friendly URL shortener that includes branded short links. Boost your brand’s growth with short, memorable, and engaging links, while seamlessly managing and tracking your links using Cuttly's versatile platform. Generate branded short links, create customizable QR codes, build link-in-bio pages, and run interactive surveys—all in one place.
Cuttly More Than Just a URL Shortener
Cuttly is a comprehensive, ever-evolving platform for link shortening that combines innovation and user-friendliness to deliver a seamless experience in managing and shortening URLs.
